The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-01-25
A BULGARIAN WEDDING.
The Way in Which the Eastern Folk CcIe-
citrate Thei= >uptisIs.

tivilies appear To be blending of both
Greek and Turkish customs. The be.
trothal occurs three months before
! marriage. az in Il most unromantiC
fashion; the preliminaries are all ac-
cOmplished nv proxy. On betrolhal-
day bride and groom separately enter
tain their own special circle of friends,
the men eff the party occupying one
room, while the women have their
pleasant little talks by themselves: tn
all guests. coffee. jelly. wine and
Swertmeats are offered. and each indi-
yidual receives little roll containing
candy, cloves and kind of chewing
gum, the Gift neatly inclo>ed in blue
paper: this peculiar presentation Is re-
garded As IN invitation to the wedding.
Al this preliminary fe>tivity many
specimens of the bride handiwork are
shown To the company-towels of cot
ton and silk interviewer, embroidered
rndergarments, slippers and handker-
chiefs; they are tastefully set forth
upon solid silver Salvers.
The three months interim are occu-
pied in making the household pleniSh-
ing and the BRIDE outfit as varied and
elegant a. circumstances will permit;
oddly enough. the materials or pur-
chase mon.y for a comfortable start in
life are mainly furnished by the groom
or by his father. Two days previous
q the wedding (Which is always on 4
Sunday again occur merry gather
ings; acquaintance are now included,
and, as before, bride and groom ere
ceive" at their respective houses. The
bride, tastefullv attired. a distfH-
gushing mark adds a peculiar head
dress and a glittcring train of tinsel
fabric, eight inches wide and a yard in
length: this i secured To- a hand of
her new head-dreS>. and flows grace
fully over her shoulders.
Each guest on entering is salIited by
the bride: the offered hand she bows
over. and i'm token of great respect
presses il To her forehead. Music il
furnished by group nf gyp>ieS, with
iddleS and tambOurincS. and young
girls join in a queer sort of dance called
chOro, but the grand feature Of this
days mirth i formal procession of
the bride and her female. friends To the
public bath set apart for women: this
Is. under usual circumstances, a great
occasion for lively gossip. ana upon
this occasion five hours are given To
chat, and perchamce for rest and sleep:
the musicians are on hand and iiddlc>
are constantly pressed into service.
The groom at hi~ own home holds an
evening entertainment: the Young men
gather in an upper room. where an
ample feast j. sci forth. while the mas
ter of the house receives the older men
i'm lower room.
On the morning of the wedding-day
the bride. aiiired in a delicate silk,
with MANY bracelets and necklaces.
and upon her head the glittering tinsei
fabric worn on Friday evening. and
with musicians i'm attendance. receives
her guests. Her girl friends gather
about her. her parents. brothers. sis
tiers. cousins, join the circle, all of
whom are greeted. as she kisses hand
of each: then follows a mournful,
solemn dance; a sort of farewell this,
all of them shedding tears the while.
A procession of married ladies now
file in, a delegation from the grOOm's
house: at the threshold handfuls of
rice are thrown over them: they ac-
knowledge the courtesy by kissing the
hand of the performer. Each delegate
now receives a Sprig of sweet basil, and
q third person pOurs over il drops of
rose water; now they approach the
bride, who i attended by two little
girls holding burning tapers. Sud
denly an old lady appears upon the
scene. bearing a beautiful broadclc:i.
sacguc lined throughout with rich fur:
all former helpers stand aside a. the
venerable relative SOlemnlv robes the
bride i'm this matronly garments lead
ing her to the door. where farewcllS
are given TO father and mother and
procession of guests follow, with
neither a joke. laugh nor ioud word.
and so they walk to the house of the
groom. who, surrounded bv friends,
awaits the coming of his lady-loyc.
and stepping forth to meet her a. she
passes through the low gateway. halts
a moment. aS jointly they receive in
token of welcome another shower of
rice from the groom's mother; this.
mingled with bOnbons and coins, chill
dren eagerly seize.
The couple now enter Il room wher,
hangs picture of the Madonna with
a lamp before it. burning. On table
are wax candles. sweatmcatS and two
crowns made of artificial flowers and
joined by green silk ribbon. a priest
swings censor filled with burning in
cense: another lights the candles,
offers one TO his associate. then to
bride and groom each one. and one he
retains. The service. i'm the Sclayiv
tongue. is given i'm alienation h. 10th
priests: responses are given 10y other
men. A priest now takes ring from
the grOom's finger. makes with it the
sign of the cross upon the fOreheadS of
the man and woman before him. puts
il nn the brides finger. takes il oil.
changes II back and forth several times
and finally places il on the grOom's
Il Il 4